California Suite (1978)

Director:

Herbert Ross

Writer:

Neil Simon (screenplay)

Release Date:

15 December 1978 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance

Tagline:

The best two-hour vacation in town!

Plot:

Misadventures of four groups of guests at the Beverly Hills Hotel.

Plot Keywords:

Hotel | Prostitute | Oscars | Actress | Tennis

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 4 wins & 5 nominations

Cast

Jane Fonda	...	Hannah Warren - Visitors from New York
Alan Alda	...	Bill Warren - Visitors from New York
Maggie Smith	...	Diana Barrie - Visitors from London
Michael Caine	...	Sidney Cochran - Visitors from London
Walter Matthau	...	Marvin Michaels - Visitors from Philadelphia
Elaine May	...	Millie Michaels - Visitors from Philadelphia
Herb Edelman	...	Harry Michaels - Visitors from Philadelphia (as Herbert Edelman)
Denise Galik	...	Bunny - Visitors from Philadelphia
Richard Pryor	...	Dr. Chauncey Gump - Visitors from Chicago
Bill Cosby	...	Dr. Willis Panama - Visitors from Chicago
Gloria Gifford	...	Lola Gump - Visitors from Chicago
Sheila Frazier	...	Bettina Panama - Visitors from Chicago
David Sheehan	...	David Sheehan - At the Hotel
Michael Boyle	...	Desk Clerk - At the Hotel
Len Lawson	...	Frank - At the Hotel

Also Known As:

Neil Simon's California Suite

Runtime:

103 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:L | Netherlands:12 | Argentina:Atp | Chile:TE | Finland:K-12 | UK:PG | USA:PG | West Germany:12 | Canada:14 (Nova Scotia) | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:AA (Ontario) | Canada:PG (Manitoba) | Australia:M

Filming Locations:

21932 Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu, California, USA

Company:

Rastar Films

Trivia:

The movie shot extensively inside and on the grounds of the famous Beverly Hills Hotel. Today the hotel's inside looks rather different, having been renovated for a whopping $150 million. Today a very strict no-filming policy is being enforced by the management, sparing its camera-shy celebrity guests of any media hassle.

Goofs:

Continuity: When we first meet Hannah, her room number at the Beverly Hills Hotel is 305. Later, when she and Bill return from a day at the beach, the room number is 306.

Quotes:

[first lines]
[a two-seater plane is flying over snow-capped mountains]
Harold: For heaven's sake, Wendy - look for an airport. Will you look for the airport?
Diana Barrie: Oh don't make such a fuss. Just put it down on a mountain.
Harold: What do you mean 'just put it down'? I'm lucky I can keep it up. I told you I never flew before.
Diana Barrie: Don't shout at me - I'm a first-class passenger.
Harold: You're a first class lunatic. It's all over Wendy - our relationship has a quarter of a tank to go.
Diana Barrie: Yes, but - you do love me, don't you Harold? I know this is an awkward time to bring it up, but I must know, for our future.
[...]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Perfect Strangers: Chicago Suite (#7.22)" (1992)

Terrific

Let me first say that I expected PERFECTION from this movie and boy oh boy did the cast deliver! I was a little disappointed with Alan Alda's performance as the sunny divorcee who argues with his wife over who gets custody over their teenage daughter. He can't handle Neil Simon as well as I thought...In a way it sounded as though he were reading his lines. Jane Fonda was hard-edged and a little rough in this one...A real firecracker who's selfish and tries too hard at NOT being caring or maternal. All you want her to do is get off the screen. But here's where the REAL talent comes in...Michael Caine and Maggie Smith. Caine plays a "homosexual-bisexual" who's married to actress Diana Barrie (Smith). The best lines in the movie come out of this duo. They're funny and touching with an extremely complex relationship. Maggie deserved the Oscar for this one. She's brilliant! She delivers her lines with pure wit. Her drunken scene is worth watching alone. Bill Cosby and his little group also provides some laughs and Walter Matthau as the cheating husband is TERRIFIC...especially his reactions to everything that happens to him. Definitely rent this one, even if you don't buy it. Trust me, you'll want to rewind.